Dive Brief:
- Friendly’s Restaurant Group parent company Brix Holdings promoted Sherif Mityas from president to CEO, the company announced Tuesday. Brix Holdings also elevated Dawn Petite from brand chief operating officer for Friendly’s to brand president, according to a press release.
- Mityas was named president of Brix Holdings last year by Jamco Interests LLC, which was the majority stakeholder at Brix.
- In addition to Friendly’s, which was acquired by Brix Holding’s affiliate company Amici Partners Group, Mityas will lead Red Mango, Orange Leaf, Smoothie Factory, SouperSalad and Humble Donuts.
Dive Insight:
Mityas previously worked as chief experience officer at TGI Fridays from 2018 to 2020. He later joined SJM Hospitality as a managing partner, before starting as an operating partner for Jamco Interests in 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Petite has had a long career with Friendly’s, the company said. She served as chief operating officer for the brand and as COO for one of Friendly’s major franchisees. According to Petite’s LinkedIn, her career started as a Friendly’s operations manager in 1981.
In 2020, Brix Holdings acquired then-bankrupt Friendly’s for about $2 million after the COVID-19 pandemic derailed early efforts to turn the brand around. Since then, the companies have appointed Craig Erlich as CEO of Friendly’s, and Erlich oversaw returns of popular LTOs, new loyalty programs, off-premise optimization and, in March 2022, the debut of a fast casual concept. Brix Holdings is looking to build up its brands after integrating them into its system over the past two years, said John Antioco, the chairman of Brix Holdings.
"When we expanded the BRIX portfolio at the end of 2020, our vision was to first integrate our new acquisitions into our system and then lay the foundation to build each of our brands,” Antioco said.
